~ Life In Vilcabamba

Monthly Archives: May 2012

Eyes open at 6:45 am. Tired from going to bed late but I have errands to run before meeting up with Ginna and Eliza.

The three of us take the bus to Loja and get off near the immigration building. Ginna and I get our letter confirming that we attended for the census. We also get our migration records for residency purposes.

I find the meat grinder I’ve been looking for at the restaurant supply place. I am going to use it for grinding the dates and dried banana chunks.

At the Apple store the fellow cuts my Claro cell phone chip to fit into my iPhone. Turns out I’m locked to Telus but he says there will be an unlock coming soon that he can install. The freedom Ecuador.

Ginna and I are exhausted and decide to head back to Vilcabamaba with a Routa de Mayo taxi.

It’s Tangerine, Orange and sweet Lemon season. Oh the tropics are so divine.

Just finished eating breakfast when I hear the sound of drums playing marching music. I look out onto the street in front of the meditation center. There is a procession of kids in school uniforms. One group followed by another passes by me. “There are a lot of children in Vilcabamba” I think.

In dream one I am working in a tall office building and one of the managers says that he wants to be undisturbed for three months. He heads off to his office while I inform some of the staff about his request. I look over towards the managers office and see him standing naked on the window still. A second goes by and he jumps.

In dream two I am swimming across what feels like the ocean. The water is very tangible. Thick and something I can grap and pull myself forward through. I reach the tip of a peninsula which is my goal.

In dream three I have a half of a very large avocado with the pit removed. I am working with others to shape the indent part into a heart shape. This will be placed over someone’s chest who is terminally ill to cure them. When we complete it we take it over to a medical doctor apparently in charge of the terminal patient. She looks at the heart shaped avocado and I sense she would normally dismiss it but because her patient is far gone she applies it to the patient. The patient is cured.

I wake up with a very strong affirmation that it is very important for me to live from a place where I am the change I love to see in the world.

Trina and I walk the Vilcabamba loop. The fireflies put on their magical display. I love our conversation during the walk and over a cup of tea afterward.

I join Mindy, Linda and Gina for breakfast. Mindy shares her journey to the poorest part of India that had a significant affect on her. Gina also shares her experiences related to when she was younger.

AsI cross the square to get to the Juice Factory I notice a wedding taking place inside the church. I hear “Here Comes The Bride” and a moment later the bride and groom emerge.

Bride & Groom

Pat and I enjoy dinner up at Madre Tierra.

People have gathered for the sweat lodge. There will be two tonight. About 20 people enter the first sweat lodge. I get a chance to say hello to Jerri. I love Jerri’s energy.

Almost Like The Sky is On Fire

Into town I go. There is a performance going on. I connect with Trina. I buy a yummy piece of corn tortilla and some roasted corn. Trina and I watch some traditional dance and a more modern dance performance.

The feature band starts setting and put on some wonderful music to dance to, Trina invites me to dance. We start dancing and Mowoofoo joins us. We start really getting into to it. It feels like we’re the entertainment as the whole crowd watches us. Some people are taking pictures and video recording us. I’m enjoying myself. I love Trina’s energy.

I emerge from my room at 9 am after handling a support call. As I am walking toward the kitchen to get an Americano, Anna appears carrying a bag of stuff she is leaving with me while she travels to Columbia. Doug, Anna and I sit together for breakfast and then we say our goodbye’s.

I open the door to my room after returning from the Juice Factory to hear a Skype call coming in. It’s Celeste. We catch up on what is going on in our lives.

Some more work related trouble shooting before taking a cat nap. It feels like a day where it would be easy to be pushed off center.

Mike and Tamara are up at Monte Suenos getting married. Ginna and many people are attending. I thought it was an invitation only event so the day before Pat, Thomas and I had made reservations at Cafe-cultura for today.

Pat, Thomas and I jump into Thomas’ truck and pick David up at the place he gets a massage. Next we go to Le Rendezvous to pick Marie who is here to write an English test tomorrow in Loja. We are seated at Cafe-cultura just as the sun is setting. Cafe-cultura is the original building owned by the family that use to own all of Vilcabamba plus much more land.

We are seated outside on the terrace being served by Ashley. Yasu the owner and chef comes out and greets us. The meal starts with a soup. Non-dairy cream of Carrot Tri-colored Soup then it’s Curried-pumpkin Souffle served with Mediterranean Salad & Grilled Zucchini in Grilled Asparagus Juice followed by Upside-down Pineapple Quinoa Cake Topped w/ Whipped Cream

There is a new person in the kitchen operating an expresso machine. I am offered a cappuccino by Mindy and accept. Mindy is a volunteer that will be making coffee and helping out at the meditation center. Mindy also offers to help me make the next batch of chocolate.

The Juice Factory is packed with people as I find a spot to sit and enjoy my fruit bowl. I see Anna walking by and wish to connect with her.

I pick up some red bananas to eat and head back to the meditation center. There is Anna. We walk to the center together.

Anna and I go to Madre Tierra together. I introduce her to Gail so that she can see if there is a chance for her to work there as a volunteer. Anna meets Alison as well. It’s agreed that Anna can work at Madre Tierra when she returns from her trip to Columbia around June 11th. I love looking in Anna’s eyes and I love the hugs she gives. We tour the property before coming back to the center. She share with me that she hitchhiked all the way from Sweden to Brazil including coming across the ocean. I also discover that she does Tibetan Healing Massages. We agree for me to receive one tomorrow. I share some Sufi Bliss essential oil with her before she heads off to the river.

Pat, Halena, Marvin, Gina, Bernie and I go for a walk up past Rumi Wilco and return just before dark.

At Gingkos, Gabby informs me that Nuclear Reactor #4 is on fire and the cooling pool for the spent rods is dry. This will release Plutonium into the air and spread to many parts of the world. She asks me to let my Sarah know.

He considered what the loss of the precious fluid of the genital glands did to eunuchs, castrated horses, hogs and other animals. He saw that the loss at the genitals and their fluid resulted in the emasculation of the animals. Whether man or beast, the results were always the same. He reasoned that decrepit men are to all intents “eunuchs”. They have dissipated their Life Essence, and the weakness and aging resulting have affected the whole body and brain. The genitals were no longer competent to elaborate the vital fluid the body and brain need, and the body sinks into decrepitude, The Endoctrine Glands are the Master Chemists of the organism. Upon their products depend the function of all the other glands. The Gonad Glands are the leaders and controllers of the Endocrine System. They are the Life Glands and they produce the most refined and most vital fluid in the organism. Loss of their substance in sexual debauchery diminishes brain power and decreases man’s conscious capacity. For that reason these glands are also called the “destructive glands.” In the act of production, man sacrifices in no small degree his own vital force and substance. Far worse than this is his shameful dissipation of Life Essence for pleasure only. The Ancient Masters correctly termed this substance the Life Essence. They knew of the damage the body suffers because of its loss. Physiological facts prove they were right. Hence, we find that Chastity is written in words of fire on all the pages of ancient scriptures.

I wake up several times during the night and I put myself to sleep by focusing on my breathing. Only a few minutes pass of wakefullness before sleep embraces me again.

I start walking to Madre Tierra at 9:20 am. I find myself slightly anxious because there are two different start times. The rain spits but holds off until I arrive. I meet Darren, one of the presenters and then Mark the other presenter.

Darren starts his presentation with his journey of reconnecting with the divine. He uses material he used before and new material. I love the way he uses clips from movies to illustrate his discovery. His premise is that the biggest lie is that we are separate from the divine and that the divine is outside of us.

His presentation takes us through the morning and into lunch. I feel like I’m in a strong emotional field that has me welling up with tears.

Lunch is included with the seminar fee. A delicious soup followed by a large bowl of salad mix with warm quinoa based on Leisha’s recipe. Gail offers us pieces of chocolate cake made with beets’ Though I hold off, everyone who orders a piece is a fan. I share my table with Talbot’s mother Nancy and Jenise and Jenise’s husband who’s name escapes me right now.

The seminar resumes at 1 pm. Mark builds on Darrens talk by introducing us to the idea that our story both individually and collectively keeps us separated from the divine. He claims that we can change our story and we can do this through the use of language. I really resonate with his ideas and approach.

Several people volunteer to let Mark take them through the process on stage. He uses tapping meridian points with two fingers on the body as pattern interrupters. We the audience tap along. Again I am transported into an emotional field as I witness the transformative power of language. The careful replacement of they, it and that with me and I so that we can change the story and let go of our victim feelings.

He goes on to reveal the cornerstones of his process he calls negation, projection and soft language.

Negation is defined as “Speaking About What Wasn’t, WhatIsn’t, And What Won’t Be”. This way of speaking keeps us in a state of conflict with what happened in our past. Negation also keeps us out of alignment with how we want to be feeling … and what we want to be doing … in our present and future.

Projections Defined: A Projection is to blame someone else for what we have created for ourselves. Its gets deeper than that … and … this is a good place to start with projections.

Soft Language = Verbal Litter

“Likes” … “I Guesses” … “Sort Of’s” … “Probably’s” … “Kind Of’s” … “Maybes” … (When Chronically Used) can weaken my energy and decicivness over the long run. Of course there is a time and a place for me to use soft language. Having said that conscious use is best.

I also observe the power of the word “be – cause” and how the word can be used to propel the action I am taking.

I love what is being demonstrated and I feel he could adopt some of my ideas into his protocols when my inner voice suggests that I will use these ideas in my own methods of loving and supporting others.

I come with my own statement “I LOVE GIVING and RECEIVING” which I further reduce into “I LOVE SHARING”.

The seminar ends almost on schedule at 4:45 pm.

Since I’m already at Madre Tierra, I decide to enjoy a large salad for dinner.

Bernie passes me in his truck on the way home and I accept a ride home when he stops to ask.

My room has a double bed now because the queen bed has been moved to the room next door. I introduce myself to Marvin and Halena, my new neighbours sitting outside their room.

Learning Spanish one word or phrase at a time. This is my opportunity to be in the NOW by learning only present tense words in Spanish.

First phrase -> I LOVE = me encanta.

I am eating an organic salad made with lettuce, kale, onion, basil, dill and tomato at Madre Tierra. Pat is here with me. Pat is sharing his chocolate creation with Alison, Erika and several of the staff at Madre Tierra.

I am using the dates from the Belgian chocolate shop, dried red bananas, grated whole brazil nuts, grated pure chocolate from Pineapple Head and chocolate paste to create a new chocolate experience.

Ate a fruit bowl at a place called Natural Yogurt. It’ the first time I’ve eaten there. I like the fruit bowl at the Juice Factory more so I went there and had one as well.

Connected with Rob who supplies the Juice Factory with the chocolate and dried red banana pieces I’ve been creating my new batch of chocolate with.

Showed Pat how to make the chocolate. He diced up the banana’s while I chopped up the dates and melted the chocolate. This time I poured the mixture into a large plastic bowl because it will be easier to push it out when it sets. Trina came by and we all had a chance to chat while making chocolate.

Accomplished some work and walked up to Madre Tierra with Pat and Ginna. Thomas came up a few minutes later. It’s Monday smoothie day.

Alison made a a savoury smoothie for me. I munched on some basil and kale fresh from the garden while I waited. Ginna had spied someone eating a raw pizza and ordered it. I followed suite after tasting it. It’s Gail’s, one of the owners, creation. It had a dehydrated spinach crust topped with a pesto sauce and some fresh vegetables. It’ll be a once in a while treat because it’s $6.

Pat and I practiced one word of Spanish together. It’s Quiero which means I want. I was joking around with some of the women I met by adding usted which means you. Alison and Ginna suggested a less formal way by saying Te Quiero. Quiero is a power word.

I did the loop walk with Pat. We took a different route that takes us by Rumi Wilco. The crooked bridge is either being replaced or resurrected. There is a frame for a new footing in place and the road to access it has been widened.

Looking Towards the Crooked Bridge from the Widened Road

Pat and I made a very tasty batch of Guacamole for supper.

Finished watching the Vivien Leigh movie before bed.

I’ve been commissioned by both Pat and Ginna to make them each a batch of my new chocolate.

I dreamt I was in an elevator with this woman and she suggested we hug and lift each other higher. It felt wonderful as the elevator seemed to rise with our love for each other.

I went for a walk around the Vilcabamba loop and decided to go into the park / zoo out by the river and about halfway around the loop. There are only birds and 1 monkey in the Zoo. A turkey vulture posed by stretching out its wings. Admission is 50 cents. There is a also a waterslide / pool, food stand and barbecue pits.

Turkey Vulture – Front

Turkey Vulture – Back

Waterslide in Vilcabamba Park

Enjoying the energy I feel by only eating fruits and vegetables and eating less food.

Ate a salad at Izhcayluma with Pat and Thomas. There has been some major roadwork below the property which may be causing the whole building to shift and the floor to crack. Another source says there a few houses affected all through Vilcabamba related to winter weather conditions.

Woke up through the night to the sound of a dog barking. I could hear another in the distance. Were they having a conversation? Then someone started playing music. My thoughts struggled with the contrast between my wish to continue my sleep and what I was starting to hold responsible for my inability to do so. I started to accept what was taking place. As I did the dog stopped barking and the music went off.

I woke feeling tired.

I received a wonderful email from my Sarah.

Ginna asked to share some time together. During the interval before she came over I enjoyed a conversation with Alison and Leisha at the Juice Factory.

I enjoyed a walk around the Vilcabamba loop.

I also enjoyed a conversation with William who has a piece of property in Yamburara.